A Journey
by wolf-sister
Summary: PG13 just in case. This is a story of a girl leaving her village and everything she thought she knew about the world to travel. Please R+R.
1. Breaking Away

Title- A Journey  
  
Written by- wolf-sister  
  
Chapter 1- Breaking Free  
  
~~~~~  
  
The girl with raven black hair down to her waist scanned the small village she grew up in again, taking in all the small things she knew she'd miss, but not admitting it. Her green eyes shone with anticipation and she was sure she wasn't making a mistake.  
  
Slowly turning her back to the village she remembered the uproar she caused at home when on her sixteenth naming day she announced she was going to leave.  
  
~~~~~  
  
There was a family sat around a table: at the head a man of middle years, muscular from his work at a nearby farm, his wife a small women with wrinkles at her brown eyes and an apron showing she looked after the house and those who resided within it. Sat at opposite sides of the table were two teenagers the older being a lad of eighteen, muscular from helping his father but retaining a look of mischief that all would be hard pressed to forget with his almost weekly pranks. The younger being a sixteen-year-old girl her green eyes showing slight worry at something that was still yet to come.  
  
"I've cooked your favourite dinner, it is after all your naming day." The mother said to her daughter, who gave a small smile in reply.  
  
*I have to tell them soon, * she thought to herself.  
  
The meal took place with the usual brothers taunting, but this time the girl barely said anything. This changed when it came to washing up the dishes.  
  
Taking a deep breath she told them her news, "I've decided that I want to leave the village, I want to travel."  
  
She looked around at her assembled family, her dad had a disapproving look in his green eyes, he had always thought people should stay where their roots were. Her brother was nodding to himself, he knew his little sister couldn't stay stuck in one small village, marrying and tending a house and family.  
  
"You better be kidding young lady." And then there was her mum.  
  
"I'm not. This is something I feel I need to do. If I stay here, I will never truly be happy." She knew that her mum wanted her to be happy. What mother wouldn't? Both she and her mum knew this.  
  
~~~~~  
  
And that was how she ended up walking away from everything she knew.  
  
"Kitara," a voice yelled from behind her. She stopped but didn't turn around; she had already said good-bye to her home.  
  
"Kitara," it came again slightly more breathless, he had obviously been running to catch up. "Wait, I am coming with you." With this she had to turn around and a fine sight met her eyes. Phlex, the one people thought she would've married was stood there with a bow across his back and a full quiver at his side, a quarter staff in his hand and a sure smile on his face as if to say, and there's nothing you can do about it.  
  
"Think again," she said anger touching her green eyes. The idea was for her to make a clean break but with him tagging along she would be constantly reminded of what could have been.  
  
"I want to come, and besides it wouldn't be right to leave you defenceless," he sounded so sure that it was the proper thing to do that Kitara couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Come on then," she told him, granting permission yet hoping he would change his mind.  
  
*Defenceless?* She thought, smiling softly to herself, but little did he, or anyone else for that matter, know that she was far from defenceless. 


	2. Random Thoughts

Title- A Journey  
  
Written by- wolf-sister  
  
Chapter 2- Random Thoughts  
  
Anything that comes from the Wheel of Time books is the property of Robert Jordan and anything that comes from my head is the property of me.  
  
~~~~~  
  
He watched the back of his little sister as she walked away and hoped that Phlex would protect her. Her safety lay heavy on his mind, as the older brother it was his duty to see her safe until she married and even past then sometimes. He supposed he'd just have to trust Phlex but made the silent promise that if he let any harm come to her he would kill him. It didn't occur to him how he'd know if any harm befell Kitara.  
  
~~~~~  
  
As the pair walked alongside the River Haevin, Phlex studied his companion out of the corner of his eye.  
  
*She looks different* he thought to himself and he was right. The way Kitara carried herself was now with an air of confidence and in her eyes.was it relief?  
  
The latter confused him. Could somebody be relieved to leave his or her home and family? He knew that he wasn't, he almost regretted it, and after all it wasn't such a bad life really.  
  
Sneaking another look at her she seemed rapt in thought and he wondered what had earned that concentration.  
  
~~~~~  
  
*I've done it!* Kitara still couldn't believe that she had left, up until the last view of the village had been lost she had expected somebody to come running and drag her back home. She still cast occasion glances back the way they had come.  
  
She looked at Phlex and nearly told him to leave her be, but it was nice to have someone to journey with.  
  
She glanced back again. Nobody from home was following her.  
  
*Where now?* was the question on her mind, she had promised herself not to think of it until she was sure that she would be here, leaving.  
  
Casting a glance at Phlex she wondered if he knew what he had let himself into coming with her. 


	3. Heat and Anger

Title- A Journey  
  
Written by- wolf-sister  
  
Chapter 3- Heat and Anger  
  
Anything that comes from the Wheel of Time books is the property of Robert Jordan and anything that comes from my head is the property of me.  
  
~~~~~  
  
It was a week after the pair had set off from their home on the banks of the River Haevin and the ten days had passed without much out of what they considered the ordinary. Sure there were more people in the mainly quiet area but they decided that of course more people would be encountered as they neared larger settlements.  
  
Kitara had set a hard pace but one that would've been easier to maintain but the unholy heat had made the going tough and angers frayed.  
  
~~~~~  
  
The sun still hadn't reached its peak but already the heat was getting to Phlex, he was mumbling something that Kitara couldn't quite make out.  
  
*It's going to be a long day * she thought to herself and she envisioned a flower perfect in every detail to focus on instead of the unease she felt. She smiled slightly, the simple task succeeding in its purpose.  
  
".shouldn't have left." Kitara heard Phlex whisper to himself.  
  
The flower wilted.  
  
"Nobody made you come, remember. You did of your own free will." She curtly said.  
  
Phlex gave a visable start; he had thought himself quiet enough to evade notice. "I'm just worried for my family, I hope they have enough people to tend the crops."  
  
Kitara gave a snort, "What crops? This damn heat means that there isn't enough to feed everyone so I am sure that you would have been at home in idleness anyway."  
  
Phlex just fiddled with an arrow in his quiver.  
  
"You know what? Go. I don't need you here, I am fully capable of looking after myself." As soon as the words were out of Kitara's mouth she wanted them back.  
  
*It's the heat, it's melting my brains* she thought to herself casting a glance at her friend.  
  
He just carried on fiddling with an arrow.  
  
~~~~~  
  
*I'm glad we resolved that, it could've turned nasty* Kitara thought.  
  
"We need horses," she decided out loud.  
  
"Do you suppose we just steal them?" Phlex replied hoping it wouldn't come to that.  
  
A grin plastered itself on Kitara's face. "Of course not," she said in mock shock, "We trade."  
  
"With what?"  
  
"Whatever we can. Be sensible and stop asking silly questions."  
  
Phlex took a deep breath. *I will not let her get to me. I can't let her get to me.*  
  
"There's a farmhouse up ahead, lets see if they will be willing to trade." Kitara commanded rather than suggested.  
  
He gave a small laugh, "I hope it goes better than when you tried to sell Cris your honey cakes."  
  
Kitara remembered and countered with a memory that had Phlex the one looking an idiot.  
  
With the laughing and joking, relations between the two almost as they once were, they didn't notice a figure cloaked in shadow tailing them from a distance. 


	4. Unknown Assailant

Title- A Journey  
  
Written by- wolf-sister  
  
Chapter 4- Unknown Assailant  
  
~~~~~  
  
*I hope we can get horses* Kitara thought to herself. She walked on towards the farmhouse, noting signs that showed the area had fallen on hard times. There were signs of disrepair and neglect and in trees she recognised as evergreen there were brown leaves present.  
  
She glanced at Phlex and shot him a smile meant to show confidence that she never actually possessed but his expression wasn't noticed as something solid connected with Kitara's head and she fell to her knees.  
  
Kitara felt only pain, her head seemingly to her had practically been split in two, which wasn't too far from the truth if exaggerated. She tried to find her friend but her vision had become obscured by a row of black at the top and bottom of her sight.  
  
Disregarding all consequences of her actions Kitara opened herself to the joy and life of Saidar and was willing to surrender. Nothing happened.  
  
Unable to fight by any means she knew, Kitara was defenceless.  
  
Hurriedly she looked for Phlex, knowing he was her only hope, but her eyes couldn't find him. Kitara's vision worsened and soon after her head hurt so much that she just wanted to crawl up in a ball and die.  
  
"Phlex," she vainly attempted to call, the words barely forming so of course thare was no reply.  
  
Then everything went black. 


	5. Assailant Revealed

Title- A Journey  
  
Written by- wolf-sister  
  
Chapter 5- Assailant Revealed  
  
Anything that comes from the Wheel of Time books is the property of Robert Jordan and anything that comes from my head is the property of me.  
  
~~~~~  
  
*I really hope Kitara knows what she's doing* Phlex thought taking in the surroundings. He knew he wasn't the best person from his village with quaterstaff or bow but he was far from the worst.  
  
Keeping his eyes open in case of attack, although why anyone would was beyond him, he noticed Kitara giving him a smile he assumed was meant to convey confidence, and maybe it would've worked but Phlex knew his companion too well.  
  
Suddenly he caught a glimpse in the corner of his eye of a shadow moving within another shadow and quickly turned in the direction of it. He nocked an arrow and took aim but another figure ripped the bow from Phlex's hands. He kneed the person, who looked to be a male, younger rather than older, however it was difficult to tell as he wore garments designed to conceal his identity. The attacker fell to the floor and Phlex looked to Kitara.  
  
"Phlex," she mouthed and it was sheer luck that he was looking to her at that time.  
  
"It will be okay," Phlex whispered, more to convince himself than to comfort Kitara. He heard footsteps behind him and turned, countering a blow with his quaterstaff. He shifted his weight and feigned an attack at his opponent's legs, and as he expected, the other went to block it. Quickly Phlex changed the direction of his blow and unceremoniously brought the quaterstaff down on his assailants head, rendering him unconscious.  
  
"Kitara," Phlex began rushing to his friend's side. He sat next to her and searched for any signs of life. He found some, however they were weak and he started to worry. Looking around he couldn't see anyone, let alone someone who could help. 


End file.
